Otter XT Hideout

I ordered the New Otter XT Hideout (single person flip over) from Gander and picked it up yesterday. I will be assembling it tomorrow morning and will be posting photos. Figured I would do this because it seems there are only the manufacturer photos that can be found online and they aren't the most descriptive. If anyone has specific questions about the shack let me know! Also, I figured I would share that I was at cabelas yesterday. I found a brand new Ion 8'' Auger sitting outside of the 'bargain cave'. They had it marked down to $474.99 due to a side being damaged during shipping. They had a deal going on where anything in the cave was an additional 25% off. Picked up that guy for $356. Happy early Christmas to me! Thanks!

I have the Otter Lodge and I didn't put the screws in. This is one of the cons I see with Otter. I typically don't have issues with the clamps coming off. I don't like how they have you screw into, in my case a $450 canvas. Other than that I really like the Otter. 

Wish I would have seen your comment earlier. Today I took the screws out to adjust the fabric because I had it too tight which restricted the front bar from coming down all the way. Oh well. I'll call them, thanks! Nice deal by the way. Beats what I paid lol

I bought the Otter Hideout as well. Call Otter and tell them you bought the Hideout and they will send you a free skirt that will fix the problem with the air. Other Otters have this and it sounds like this was just overlooked somehow. I'm guessing newer boxes will be including this. I just called them yesterday and they said I'll have it by the weekend. Only thing that sucks is I'll have to take out the screws on the side to install the skirt. Hopefully this will solve the problem because in my opinion there was way to much air flow/light penetration. Hope this helps. Oh and I also took advantage of that deal at Cabelas. The Otter Hideout was sitting outside the bargain cave due to package damage. With the 25% off I got the shack for $279!

From What I can tell the auger is mechanically perfect (won't know until I get to drilling into the some ice lol). But yes, Eskimo's customer service (Ardisan) is phenomenal and I believe they are the ones who own Ion. So it gives me a solid piece of mind Happy Fishing!

Photo of the small spot where air can enter from the outisde, from underneath the ridge of the sled.

Alright so this is my first "review" and post, so bare with me; I assembled the Otter XT Hideout this morning. I was very excited to take this thing out of the package due to it because my first flip over shack. I also have a Eskimo 949i hub which I use when my fiance and I go together, but I wanted something for myself when chasing the fish. I looked around at other Eskimos, Clams, Frabills, and other options but I ended up going with Otter due to the positive rapport, and you get what you pay for. Obviously this 'review' is going to lack because winter hasn't struck yet. Assembly took about a good two hours and a half a pot of coffee. I've posted several pictures below of the materials included along with the finished product. Pros: -Great outer shell that in my opinion will keep me plenty warm during the cold days -Comes with three wind support bars that can be added on windy days. -The space in front of your feet (which I was very hesitant about), is way more roomy than I thought it was going to be. There is about 2 - 2.5 feet in front of my legs for equipment set up and fishing (picture below). -Swivel Chair that isn't fixated in one position (you can not slide the chair back and forward though) Cons (from what I can tell as of now) - The assembly requires you to drill into the Fabric material when you are on the last step. They have you do this so you can secure the trim to the fabric and then to the sled. This is down toward the back of sled (the side that is stationary and doesn't flip. I was very uneasy about this. - The shape of the sled isn't exactly rectangular. It jolts out on one end. They do this to provide a wider surface area for fishing. However, underneath the sled where this happens it leaves an uncovered area which wind and cold air can enter. Of course you can always postiion the shack so the wind will hit the front and not enter, but this is also a concern to me. Overall, I'm very satisfied with the purchase. My new Auger appears to fit in the sled well and it will also accomodate my flasher, some Beaver Dam tip ups, my frabill aerator and a couple cold beers. Thanks everyone for reading. Happy Fishing this year. Luke

Awesome deal on the ION, you'll love it! If the 'side damage' is an issue, reach out to the guys at ION - their customer service is awesome. I'm certain they could get you a replacement part for cheap - it may not even matter though. Either way, great find!